Nightmare After Death
by Punk19
Summary: A new arrival at Halloweentown has everyone worried...what will Jack do to win the new arrivals heart and the support of the townspeople?
1. Late Arrival

**I own nothing except my character, of which a name will be given tomorrow. I happen to love Nightmare Before Christmas, who doesn't? Favorite characters are Jack Skellington and Dr. Finklestein.

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Nightmare After Death

Waking up in a grave after five years isn't so bad. But waking up in a grave, where you do not know where you are is very bad. I remember the roses and tulips bobbing gently by my gravemarker. The lone Willow tree with its swaying branches and chittering birds casting shadows over the plot of land I had been lain in. I remember seeing a bird house with a little nest hanging from a high branch. A crystal clear lake simmering off to the north completed everything. This was paradise, paradise after death.

The car crash I was in wasn't that bad, but the fire afterwards at the hospital was. I was whole, with skin. But now I am bone, plain white bone. A flowing blue dress, no longer blue but gray, hung loosely at my ankles. Surprisingly I still had hair, I could of sworn that I had seen it singed and burned in the fire. Five years, what had I been doing all those five years? Surely I couldn't of just laid in my coffin, allowing the bugs to crawl all over me.

A shadow cascaded over my body, and I felt myself lifting. My eyes opened, and I saw a sweet little boy, no older than maybe five or six years old wearing a devils costume, smiling down at me. A little girl, maybe the same age wearing a witches costume, stooped on his side. I saw another boy, maybe three or four years old wearing a skeleton costume, kneeling down by my head. All of their arms were by their sides, so they weren't lifting me up.

I couldn't see very well, my vision was blurred and fuzzy. I felt a chill roll up my arms and a small whisper left my lips. That's when I looked over to my right. A man, clothed in white and in a wheelchair, was ordering a stooped-over, one eyed man that was wearing a patched grey and blue suit. I looked back at the children and I noticed that one of the boys had taken his mask off. He had black hair, cropped short, and black rimmed eyes. My stomach grumbled as I saw him raise a black and white lollie pop to his lips.

"Be careful Igor."  
"Yes master Finklestein."  
"My is she beautiful."  
"For a skeleton."  
"Jack'll find much interest in her."

My line of vision had been obscured many times, but I had heard all of them talk. I knew the one that was lifting me up was named Igor, and the man that was in the wheelchair was Finklestein. But who were the other three? And who was this Jack-person they spoke about? So many questions, and yet I was only a few minutes awake. The girl off to the side of the devil costumed boy had taken her mask off. I saw black hair falling in ribbons past her shoulders. The boy beside her had just taken his mask off. He had red hair that curved up, I guessed to match his costume.

"Hurry Doctor, she's waking."  
"We're getting her up as fast as we dare Lock."

Lock, the devil costumed boy's name was Lock. What a strange name for a cute little guy. I thought his name was Andrew. He looked like an Andrew. Especially in his eyes, they oozed out the name. Maybe Lock was his nickname, or better yet his last name. Andrew Lock, or Lock Andrew. That sounded good.

"Put her on the buggy Igor."  
"Yes master."

The sound of turning wheels, and chains clanging against steel, caused my eyes to close. I slept for awhile, dreaming about lemon drops, horses, roses, tulips and my family. Thundering hooves, gently flowing buds and yellow juice stains made me smile. A laugh of hideous porpotion awakened me hours later.

"She's waking." Corpse Kid said.  
"Come on, open those sockets." Corpse Mother cooed.  
"She's new isn't she Jack?" The mayor asked.  
"Yes Mayor." Jack said.  
"Another new arrival." The mayor sighed. "Another mouth to feed."  
"Calm yourself, she won't eat much." Jack said.

Eyes opening slowly, I had a chance in seeing a skull, with a errie grin of its face, looking at me. To it's left was a fat woman, her eyes were sewn shut, so was the man's and the boy's that were standing beside her. A barrel sized man stood off to the right of the skeleton. He wore a worried expression on his face. The three children that I had seen earlier, Finklestein and Igor stood at a far off corner. A dollish woman-teenager stood beside a clown that was seated upon a unicycle.

"Sit up my dear." The skeleton said. "My names Jack."

I slowly sat up, I had no clue where I was, and I didn't care. All I wanted was to go home. I felt a tear form and I brushed it away. It was then that I noticed that my hand was bone. A scream erupted from inside my throat, it drove the skeleton man across the room. I jusmped from the table I was on and looked at myself. Blue dress, singed gray at the hem, blue shoes and skeletal features. I felt my hair and tugged it down to where I could see the coal coloured red shade that I had had since my youth.

"For pity sakes, Jack quiet her quick." The mayor barked.

A bag was placed over my head and I fell asleep again. Before I did though, I caught a few heated words between the Corpse Kid, Corpse Mother, Corpse Father, the Mayor, and Finklestein. I didn't like what I heard, I could swear I heard the world flaming pit of insects and blood. Can't be sure though, that's when I nodded off.


	2. Dungeon Poetry

**Dungeon Poetry**

"She's going to be a handful to handle Jack." Mayor said.  
"She'll come around." Jack said.  
"No, I fear she won't." Mayor sighed.  
"You said the same thing about me." Jack scorned.  
"Well, you changed." Mayor whispered.  
"She could too." Jack barked.  
"Yes, but highly unlikely." Mayor thought.

Shaking his head, Jack felt power sweeping quickly through his bony fingers. He couldn't make the denizens of Halloweentown think that this 'new' skeleton girl wasn't that bad. It had been hard enough in finding a place for himself, the king of Halloween, in this town. Course he did have other choices, wasn't Ghoulsville a nice town? It was full with creepy crawlies. Course most of the town was infested with werewolves. Ghostburg wasn't a good place to live in either. There were too many ghosts and ghoulies living there. Skeleton City was a terrible sight for sore eyes. Skeletons walking around losing parts every which way you turned. Nope, no town that he ruled would be closer than Halloweentown.

A painfully high scream lifting throughout the walls of the castle hidden behind a high thicket of vines reached his ears. The girl was awake, and she sounded stronger than before. The mayor shuddered and he could detest a whisper of fright and hatred on his breath. The corpse family, which had decided to help him in more ways than one with this girl, covered their ears. Jack had no choice, or chance, but to give a silent giggle.

"Jack please reconsider." Mayor begged.  
"About what?" Jack asked.  
"Send her to Oogie Boogie." Werewolf suggested. "It'll be quiet here then."  
"Oogie Boogie!" Jack exclaimed. "This girl happens to be kin to us all."  
"Kin, in what way?" Mayor asked.  
"Check her pedigree." Jack ordered.

Walking over to a cabinet, the mayor pulled out a small file with the name Angela Smithreins on it. Slowly opening it, he allowed a gasp to escape from his lips. This girl was the daughter of Jason Voreless, a former alliance to Jack, and Diana Crosblin. Although he didn't know who Diana Crosblin was, he had a mental image of a woman with curly white blonde hair and cheery blue eyes. A picture of two siblings followed Angela's pedigree. Katie Worthshein, a brown haired short child with gray eyes, and Samantha Rothenshier. Samantha had blonde hair and green eyes.

"Angela doesn't look anything like her father." Mayor thought out loud.  
"That's because he's not her father." Jack said.  
"Then who..." Mayor stammered.

Another image caught his eye, it was of a man with red brown hair and glassy green eyes. Below the picture was the name Howard Fitzwalter. It now became apparent to the mayor, Jason Voreless wasn't Angela's father. He was her stepfather, and the two siblings were of his and Diana's marriage. Angela must have been a lovechild of Howard Fitzwalter and Diana Crosblin. It was the only way, unless Diana and Howard had actually been married. He doubted it though.

A record of how she died caught his attention next. An image of a car crash, and her being carried away by emergency meds and the hospital engulfed in flames made a memory that had been dorment for years reappear. Something similiar had happened to Jack Skellington and himself. The year of her death stunned him beyond everything he had every expected to see. It said she had died the tenth month of 1987. It even gave the time and date, October 9, 1987 at 11:35 p.m.

"I had no idea." Mayor sighed.  
"Yeah, she's had a hard death." Jack said.  
"Died on the nineth of October of nineteen eighty-seven." Mayor reread aloud.

"Yes, the same date as myself and you." Jack said.  
"But a few hours apart." Mayor exclaimed.  
"And a few years." Jack added.  
"Twenty-four years to be exact." Corpse Mother said.  
"Thanks, I almost forgot." Jack said.  
"So, um, is there going to be a welcoming party?" Werewolf asked.  
"Jack..."Mayor said.  
"I'm not sure as of yet." Jack said. "Lets see how she copes here for a while."

_Shuddering tears falling blistfully  
Blue targets  
Tear jerking moments arrive early_

_Jack Skellington, king of Halloween and our hero - The Witches_

"What are all these?" I asked myself aloud.

Poetry on one corner, little phrases on another with words of love and despire on the other two. Who would write such things while being in a dungeon? There was a space open on the far off corner of the cell that I was in. So I walked to it, slowly. Some wolf-type creature had brought me some slop, bread and milk with some cinnamon thrown in which tasted marvelous. I saw that I had some black powder on my index finger and thumb, so I slowly stood up and started writing.

_What's in this world  
Is it death  
I'll find out whenever death comes  
And when it comes,  
I'll spit in it's face  
So come and get me_

Clanging chains and a door slowly opening made me turn around and I saw the three children walking in that I had seen earlier. All of them had their masks off, so I could see their beautifully twisted faces. I slowly shrinked down to the floor, it was a long ways down, as I was atleast a foot taller than I was when I was alive. All of the children were smiling evilly at me.

"Hi, my name's Shock." said the witch costumed girl.  
"Lock." Lock said.  
"Barrel." the skeleton costumed boy said.  
"What's you name?" Shock asked.


	3. Morning Fury

"She has defiled his law in writing anti-death poetry." Corpse Father announced.  
"There's writing of that sort all over the walls in that cell." Mayor stated.  
"Yeah, but not any of such offensive wording." Corpse Mother exclaimed.  
"For pity sakes, we do not want to wake Jack." Sally sighed.  
"It's five thirty in the morning." Mayor said.  
"Well, either you wake him or we will." Corpse Mother stated.  
"What's all this noise?" Jack yawned.

Slowly, and carefully, Jack walked down the stairs, followed closely by his dog Zero. Zero lit the way perfectly with his pumpkin nose. Jack was wearing green-blue pajamas with fluffy cotton slippers. A pipe was in his left hand, and a paper was in his right. Both of his eyes were half closed. Corpse Father, Mother and the Mayor bowed gently and then Sally walked forward with a cup of steaming coffee creamed with pumpkin juice.

"What's all this noise?" Jack repeated.  
"It's that new girl...she's wrote something offensive on the wall." Sally sighed.  
"Really," Jack said." what did she write?"  
"I have it here...somewhere." Corpse Father said.  
"She wrote something really offensive." Corpse Mother said.  
"Here it is." Corpse Father announced.

Jack took the small piece of paper that Corpse Father had handed to him. Six sentences met his eyes, which were indeed bad to everyone's eyes and ears. The words matched perfectly, it was the complete meaning of the poem. He felt his eyes open, quickly and with growing anger. Even this made him feel dirty, rotten and painly aware of what she had done.

_What's in this world  
Is it death  
I'll find out whenever death comes  
And when it comes,  
I'll spit in it's face  
So come and get me_

"Where is she?" Jack asked.  
"In the lower tower of the new jail." Mayor said.  
"Bring her to me." Jack yawned.  
"Right away." Mayor saluted.  
"You're dismissed." Jack said while stiffling a yawn.

The Mayor left, Corpse Father had to drag his wife away. Sally slowly pulled Jack to a lonely chair in the corner of the house. Zero followed, begging to be fed. Sally felt great fear in this new person. She felt that Jack liked her something special. Zero nuzzled her leg and she slowly walked away. Zero needed his bone biscuits, the same as Jack. Maybe a little frogs breath thrown in would get Jack to think straight.

"Jack...don't you think this girl could cause more trouble?" Sally asked.  
"Not you too Sally." Jack sighed.  
"Afraid so Jack." Sally sighed back.  
"What is it with everyone?" Jack wondered.  
"It's just a feeling we all have Jack." Sally sighed.

Yelling and screaming tossed itself throughout the walls of the three level house. The floor above creaked, as if it was about to collapse. Jack slowly sat up, he couldn't stand, because he had just felt the remnents of a migraine coming. The girl was coming, and it sounded like she was causing trouble. Sally shuddered at the noise, she had never heard such a noise before.

"Here she is Jack." Mayor said.

The girl was putting up a mighty fight, Corpse Mother and Father were having terrible trouble in keeping her between them. She had chains twirling around her ankles, and ropes connected to her arms and wrists. A gag had been placed on her mouth, and it had caused a little drool to dribble past her cheeks. The gag made a flicker of pain and anger raise up in Jack's chest.

"Take that gag from her mouth." Jack said.  
"We had to put it on," Corpse Mother said." she tried to bite us."  
"Take it OFF." Jack yelled.

Sally jumped at the sheer anger and frustration that was in Jack's tone. She had never seen him act this way. The girl had also gone silent, but her eyes showed anger equally like the type Jack had used. Her hands had relaxed from their fisted state, and were now laying loosely at her sides. Quickly the gag was removed, but not before a silent fight erupted from the girl's actions.

"Let me go." the girl yelped.  
"Quiet Angela." Jack said. "You're safe."  
"The only place from being safe is away from here." Angela stated.  
"QUIET!" Jack yelled.  
"No, no one quiets me." Angela thought.

She quieted, but the silent fire of anger still burned in her eyes. Jack slowly stood up, his head ached badly. The morning wasn't the right time to be having a yelling. He was still sleepy, so was Zero. Angela shied away, but couldn't get very far. Both of her arms had been pulled behind her, and her legs were near buckling from exhaustion. Slowly, and carefully Jack walked towards her, and stunningly kissed her on the cheek.

"Take her to the cell underneath my house." Jack said.  
"Yes Jack." Mayor said.

Sally scowled at the girl, her jealousness had reached a whole new perspective. That kiss had shattered everything. She knew the truth. Jack didn't just like this girl, he loved her. He had a crush on her. He had once had a crush on her, but now it was switched, now he had a crush on Angela. She made a mental note to crush this girl's hopes in getting Jack, forever.


End file.
